Light distributing device for dials and other surfaces to be illuminated



April 24, 1934. EWALD 1,956,092

DEVICE FOR DEALS AND OTHER SURFACES TO BE ILLUMINATED Filed July 30.1951 2. Sheets-Sheet l LIGHT DISTRIBUTING INVENTOR ATTORNEYS April 24,1934. W D 1,956,092 LIGHT DISTRIBUTING DEVICE FOR DIALS AND OTHERSURFACES TO BE ILLUMINATED Filed July 30, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOREL MWMW /fl ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 24, 1934 LIGHT DESTRIBUTING DEVICEFOR DIALS AND OTHER SURFACES TO BE ILLUMI- NATED Arno A. Ewald,Oakfield, Wis., assignor to R- mort Manufacturing Company, Oakfield,Wis.

Application July 30, 1931, Serial No. 554,018

8 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in light distributing devices fordials and other surfaces to be illuminated.

My invention is particularly applicable to air filling stations equippedfor filling the tires of motor driven vehicles. Such a stationordinarily has a pressure regulator, and a dial to indicate the propersetting of the pressure regulator for the filling of vehicle tires to adesired pressure.

Such dials and associated parts are ordinarily exposed at the sides ofstreets to Weather and to clouds of oil laden dust rising from thestreet as Well as to widely varying conditions of temperature, sunlightand shadow, whereby the efiiciency of ordinary illuminators andreflectors rapidly deteriorates.

The object of my invention is to provide means for illuminating dialplates and other surfaces requiring to be artificially lighted, in whichthe light rays may be softly and uniformly distributed over the surfaceto be illuminated and in which the source of illumination and the lightdistributing means will be adequately protected fromthe elements andcapable of maintaining maximum lighting and light distributingefiiciency through long periods of time.

It is a further object of my invention to provide suitably housed meansfor reflecting rays of light emanating from a common source ofillumination in such a manner that the reflected rays will cross at amultitude of angles in or nearly parallel to a common plane whileapproaching the surface to be illuminated at slightly convergent anglesthereto and preferably from points of reflection above such surface,thereby tending to eliminate shadows which would otherwise be producedby objects projecting from points upon or adjacent to such surface, andlargely avoiding variations in the intensity of the illumination of thevarious portions of such surface.

It is also an object of my invention to provide means whereby the raysof light reflected as aforesaid upon the surface to be illuminated maybe sub-divided into fields of reflected light which overlap upon saidsurface in a manner to sharply illuminate all sides of irregularities,and clearly define lettering and pictorial illustrations thereon.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a dial illuminated in accordance withmy invention, the dial being otherwise of a type similar to those usedin connection with pressure regulated means for filling vehicle tireswith air at a pressure indicated by the setting of the dial.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the dial support or housing,drawn to line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the light transmitting and reflectingbox in the upper portion of the dial housing, as seen from the innerside.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing my invention as appliedto an octagonal housing having a surface to be illuminated.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of an air filling station dial embodyingmy invention in modified form and arranged for distribution of lightover the dial notwithstanding the presence of an associated pointer orpressure regulating lever.

Figure 6 is a sectional view drawn to line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a detail view showing the solid light diffusing andreflecting block embodied in the modified form of construction shown inFigures 5 and 6.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughoutthe several views.

In Figures 1, 5, and 6 the lamp housing may be assumed to besubstantially the same in structure. In the housing illustrated, acylindrical periphery 13 is shown integrally connected with a back wall14 and closed at the front by an annular wall member 15 from which aninset dial 16 is supported by an inturned flange 17. Preferably thefront wall portion 15 has a beaded outer margin 18 which seats againstan annular shoulder 19 on the outer surface of a rubber packingring'covering the front margin of the wall'13. Clamping screws 21connect the bead 18 with projections 22 on the outer surface of thehousing wall 13.

A lamp 23 is mounted in the upper portion of the housing and issupported by an adjustable bracket 24 in a position to allow its directrays 95 and those of its reflector 25 to pass through a glass plate 26to an inclined and preferably arcuate mirror plate 27 mounted in theupper portion of the annular space between the flange 17 and the bead18. The flange 17 is provided with an arcuate slot 28 in its upperportion, whereby the rays reflected by the mirror 27 may be directeddownwardly through the slot and obliquely, with a slight inclination inthe direction of the face of the dial 16. 105

If desired, the slot 28 may be covered by a dust-excluding lighttransmitting plate 29, an arcuate glass plate conforming in curvaturesubstantially to the curvature of the flange 17 being preferablyemployed.

The mirror plate 2'7 preferably comprises a piece of sheet metal havinga reflecting under surface preferably provided by chromium plating thissurface. This piece of sheet metal has suitable cars at its respectiveends which may be bolted to the flange 17 at the ends of the slot, asindicated in Figure 3.

The mirror plate 27 preferably has its upper margin provided with adown-turned flange 27 embracing the arcuate upper margin of the glasspanel 26, the end of the plate 27 being similarly flanged to engage theends of this glass panel, as best shown in Figure 3.

The lower margin of the glass panel is supported from the dial plate 16bya bracket 31. As also indicated in Figure 3, the mirror plate 27 islongitudinally arcuate, although, as stated,

it is transversely inclined as best shown in Fig-- its ure 2. Itscurvature, therefore, varies from inner to its outer margin, and theends of the space above the slot maybe closed by flanges substantiallyperpendicular to the ears. The particular form of the mirror plate inthis regard is "subject to considerable variation" in accordancewiththe'desired illuminating effect to be obtained upon th'e dial plate,it being obvious that the form of the plate at the point where it isstruck byany given ray of light from the lamp or from the reflector 25willdetermine the direction of the ray and the point at which it willimpinge upon the dial plate, toward which the larger percentage of theraysare directed. Some of the rays may fall upon the flange 1'7, andthese rays, if inclined toward the dial, will be reflected by theflan'getothedial and'most of them will strike the--dial surfacebelow itscenter.

The exterior surface of the flange 17 will preferably'be also a highlypolished reflecting surface, chromium plating being preferred because"of its durability 'andcapability of remaining untarnished either byoxidation or by other chemica'l a'cti0n of gases carried in theatmosphere.

It will be observed'in Figure 3 that the mirror plate 21. and the glasspanel 26 form a com- -plete housing over the slot 28, thereby excludin'gdust and other. foreign matter from the interior of thehousing andprotecting the lamp bulb and its mirror 25 from becoming tarnished orclouded; The arcuate light transmitting closure plate 29 may also berelied upon to protect the reflecting surface of the plate 27 and theouter face of" the glass 26 from foreign matter which might otherwisepass through the slot'28'. Butif the glass plate 29 is omitted thesesurfacesmay 'becleaned as often as desired by a suitable wiper insertedthrough the slot for that purpose. The location of the slot 28underneatlrthe overhanging bead 13 and annular wall-'portion 15 is suchas to protect the reflectingchamber from'the direct rays of the sun andfrom falling matter in the atmosphere so that frequent cleaning of the'reflecting surface of member 27, or the outer surface of the panel 26,will not be necessary even if the glass plate 29l-is omitted-and theslot 23 left open.

The-light delivered from the reflecting surface of the-plate Z'Z to thedial 16 will be a soft diffused light, which, coming from widelydivergent angles, willvirtually eliminate shadows, and in cooperationwith the rays coming from thecylindrical flange 1'? will illuminate allportions of the dial surface, even underneath a central-projection suchas is illustrated in Figures' 5 and 6.

If desired, the reflecting plate 2'? may be formed to develop separatefields of illumination which may overlap upon the face of the dial. InFigure 4 a plate 27a is employed which is divided into three sections,including a central section extending horizontally across the uppermargin of an octagonal dial plate 16a and two end sections inclined fromthe respective ends of the top section along the associated marginalportions of the octagonal dial. In this construction the wall portion15a and its bead 18s are also octagonal, and the inturned flange 17a iscorrespondingly formed. The slot 28a is substantially c0- extensive withthe three upper sections of the octagon.

The rays of light emanating from the lamp and its associated reflectormay thus be sub-divided into three distinct fields of reflected light,directedby the reflector 27a through the slot 28a to the octagonal dial,and, owing to the inclination of the reflecting surface and the widevariation in' angles at which'the:rays of light will strike such surfacein the different fields, it is obvious that by a proper adjustment ofthe lamp its rays may bewidely distributed but relatively concentratedtoward the lower portion of the field along lines oblique to a centralvertical line in addition to their pitch in the direction of the dialwall.

A similar effect may be obtained from the arouate'mirror 27. It isobtained throughcontinuous variation in pitch, anditheilluminatingeifect is quite different from that obtained by thestructure as illustrated in Figure 4, because the latter has a greatertendency to develop shadows and observable variati'ons in the intensityof the illumination of different portions of the dial face.

In Figures 5 and 6 the construction maybe the same as that shown inFigures 1, 2, and 3, except that'in place of the glass panel 26, reflectingplate 27, and dust-excluding glass plate 29, I substitute aglass block 32 having an arouateportion 33'of reduced width formed tofit within the slot 28. The top of this block is subdivided intosections 34, 35, 36 and 3'], each of which is transversely inclinedforwardly and downwardly. The flat faces 34, 35, 36 and 3? of the block32 are each tangential to an arc of somewhat greater curvature than thatof the lower faces'of the block, said lower face being concentric withthe field to be illuminated. The rear side of the block is preferablyvertical and the front side may also be vertical. Rays of light from thelamp 23 enter the block through its rear face and become more or lessdiffused and softened as they pass through it to the flat reflectingsurfaces 34, 35, 36 and 37, whereupon the reflected rays are sub-dividedinto different fields as described with reference to Figure l, and arethrown downwardly and inwardly in the direction of the dial to reach thesurface thereof with a softer radiance than is obtained by the meansdisclosed in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive. However, the form ofconstruction disclosed in Figures 1 and 4 is less expensive.

In Figures 5 and 6 I have clearly illustrated the manner in which myimproved illuminator solves the problems encountered in the construction of vehicle tire filling air stations. These stations ordinarilyhave housings substantially like those disclosed in the drawings hereofand serving to enclose diaphragm pressure regulators 40 each having aninlet port 41 and an outlet duct .2.

The pressure regulator is has its casing ex tended through an aperturein the dial 16 and provided with an exterior adjusting screw 48 withinwhich a pressure regulating-spring i9 is '1" mounted, the outer end ofthe spring being seated against the head of a calibrating screw 50. Theadjusting screw 48 is covered by the hub 51 of an adjusting lever 52which has a pointer 53 positioned for travel over a suitable index onthe dial to indicate the pressure to be obtained by any given adjustmentof the lever. The upper connecting screw 21 is provided with anelongated head 54 which serves as a stop for the lever. Neither theregulator, nor its structural features constitute a part of theinvention herein disclosed, and they are referred to largely for thepurpose of showing how light from an overhead source may be distributedto those portions of the dial which would otherwise be shadowed by thehub 48 or the lever 52. The problem of properly illuminating such dialshas heretofore remained unsolved except in cases where a plurality oflamps are employed, and while in such cases the illumination may becomplete, wide variations in the degree of illmnination greatly impairthe benefits derived from the use of a plurality of lamps, and the softradiant effects obtained by the use of my invention are absent.

It will be understood that a certain degree of light diffusion andrefraction will occur in the arcuate member disclosed in Figures 1 to 3,inclusive, and in that disclosed in Figure 4, since in these structuresthe rays of light pass through at least one glass panel if not throughan arcuate glass plate covering the slot in the flange 1'7. The glasspanel and the reflector plate, or the glass panel, reflector plate andslot covering plate, may be regarded in either case as a lightdiifusreflecting and refracting member or unit operating in aconsiderable degree as an equivalent for the solid block of glass withits top surface of reflecting material disclosed in Figure 7.

I claim:

1. The combination of a plate having a surface to be illuminated, alamp, a light transmitting member projecting at one side of the space infront of the plate and provided with a reflecting surface adapted toreceive light from the lamp through the transmitting member and redirectit at various angles therethrough to the plate, and a housing enclosingthe lamp and all of the transmitting member except that portion of itssurface through which the rays pass to the plate, the upper surface ofsaid member bein su divided into a series of flat faces, eachsubstantially tangential to the arc of a circle concentric to the centerof the field to be illuminated and also laterally inclined downwardlyand forwardly with reference to the surface to be illuminated.

2. A housing provided with a face plate having an inset dial and a lightdiffusing, reflecting and refracting member of a generally arcuate formcarried by an outwardly projecting portion of the face plate in aposition for transmitting and reflecting light from a source within thehousing and diffusing it with substantial uniformity over the s' rfaceof the dial, said diffusing reflecting and refracting member having endportions formed with flat surfaces oblique to the other surfaces andadapted to direct rays of light to the lower portion of the dial fromopposite sides of its vertical center line, said dial and the arouateface plate being exposed to the elements to facilitate cleaning andpolishing the same, and the source of ligt including the transmittingand reflecting member within the housing being protected from theelements.

3. The combination with a lamp and a lamp housing provided with a faceplate, a light diffusing, reflecting and refracting member overhangingthe face plate and having a reflectin surface in such relation to thelamp and face plate as to direct rays of light from the lamp to saidplate, said light diffusing, reflecting and refracting member having agenerally arcuate light ornitting surface, and corresponding lightreflecting surfaces inclined transversely for direction of rays of lightobliquely through said light emitting surface toward the dial withdifferent degr es of angularity due to the curvature of the are alongwhich the light reflecting and emitting surfaces extend.

l. The combination with a housing provided with a dial in one wall, apressure regulator mounted at the center of the dial and a source ofillumination within the housing, said housing havin a projecting wallportion provided with an arcuate slot through which rays of light may bedirected to the dial and a generally arcuate light reflecting memberhoused by said projecting wall portion and inclined for direction ofrays of light from said source of illumination to the surface of thedial, whereby the ends of the light reflecting member are adapted todirect rays to portions of the dial on the opposite side of the pressureregulator from that which receives light from the central portion of thereflector.

5. The combination with a lamp containing housing having one wallprovided with an inwardly extending slotted flange, a plate mounted atthe inner margin of said flange, 2. body of transparent material in aposition to receive rays of light from a lamp within the housing andhaving reflecting surfaces pitched at different angles and adapted todirect rays of light through the flange slot over the surface of theplate, said flange being also provided with a reflecting surfaceadapt-ed to direct rays of light therefrom to the associated plate.

6. The combination with a lamp housing provided with a face to beilluminated overhung by a portion of the housing, said overhan ingportion having an arcuate slotted bottom wall in combination with alight refracting, diffusing and reflecting member closing said slot andprovided with a forwardly downwardly inclined top surface, said topsurface and the portion of the bottom which fills said slot having facesrespectively tangential to concentric arcs corresponding generally tothe curve of said slotted wall.

'7. The combination with a lamp housing provided with an inset face tobe illuminated, the housing having an inturned cylindrical lightrefleeting portion extending outwardly from said face and having anarcuate slot the top portion of the wall, a lamp concealed withinhousing at the rear side of said face and provided with a reflectoradapted to project rays of light from the lamp into the portion of thehousing above said slot, and a light diffusing, refracting andreflecting member adapted to receive the rays of light from the lamp andits reflector and distribute them directly over said face and indirectlyby reflection thereto from said cylindrical reflecting portion of thehousing wall, said face housing wall being exposed to the exterior forcleaning and polishing purposes, whereby substantially all availablerays of light from the lamp may be distributed for uniform illuminationof all portions of said face.

8. The combination with a lamp housing having an inset dial in one wallexposed to the elements with substantial uniformity, said meanscomprising a light reflecting, diffusing, and retracting member adaptedto direct rays divergently from its central portion directly to the dialand indirectly to said cylindrical Wall for reflection to the dial andhaving end portions adapted to direct rays convergently to the lowerportions of the dial and across the space immediately in front of thedial to said cylindrical wall for reflection to the dial.

ARNO A. EWALD.

